My Fallen Angel
by SkylarBlackwell
Summary: Life is going great for Shizuru when a violent encounter threatens to ruin it all. Natsuki is coming to terms with her feelings, but can love heal Shizuru's new scars?  ShizNat. T 'cause I'm paranoid. Rating may even change though.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: WARNING: This story has very dark moments and is not for those who like happy, lovey-dovey stories. In fact, it hints at some very serious and less than… Well if you don't like it just don't read it. Sorry. It's sad, but I promise it gets better. **

**Anyway, here it goes.**

Life could not possibly get better than this.

I turned eighteen today and graduated Fuuka Academy just a week prior. I had spent the entire day with the love of my life – okay so my life would be perfect if she would just love me back, but still – and now I was on my way home from a lovely dinner with my father. I was so happy that I thought my heart may burst open from all the joy being packed into it. I thought that nothing could bring me down from this high.

I was wrong.

At first, there was only pain. Something hit me in the back of the head and I blacked out. Unfortunately, I awoke before they were done with me. My mouth was clamped down on and I could do nothing until they were finished. It was painful and humiliating. I wanted to die. I wanted to disappear from this world. But I was not even granted that one wish. I was left alive and breathing when they stalked off. I was left to pick myself up and walk home.

Yet I could not even get into the sanctuary of my home to rid myself of this filth before tragedy struck me again. It was too much this time, though. Whatever was left of rational thought in my mind had been entirely preoccupied by this one nagging thought.

_More than anyone else, I don't want her to see me like this._

But of course it had to be her. Leaning against the balcony and looking out at the night sky, her raven hair fading into the dark and her ivory skin glistening in the moonlight, she sat in wait for a "me" that no longer existed.

"Natsuki…"

* * *

><p>The day had started with me being thrown out of bed by a red-head that I regret giving my key to every waking moment of my life. I was about to yell at her when she shoved a birthday card and the small blue box I had purchased the other day in my face. I looked at the clock to find that it was only twenty minutes before our meeting and I nearly fell on the way to the bathroom.<p>

"Thanks Mai!" I called over my shoulder, mounting my bike.

"Do you know how much grief I am going to get at my part-time job today for being late?" she shouted, "If you don't make this the best birthday ever for Fujino-san, I swear to God the next time anyone sees you it will be at your funeral!"

It took all my concentration and nearly getting hit by three cars, but I proudly arrived at the apartment and knocked on the door only two minutes late. When it opened I was greeted with the smell of green tea and wine-colored eyes that always seemed to lighten whenever they fell on me.

"Ara? I thought you would be late so I haven't even bothered to get ready yet." Shizuru said with a teasing tone. She laughed when I frowned and pulled me into the spacious apartment. "Make yourself at home and I'll be out in a few minutes." she called, walking into the bathroom.

It seemed that Shizuru was in a good mood today. As of late, she had been trying not to tease me as much, though she still did on a daily basis, just less frequently during those days. I wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that she had confessed. While it was true we did not often talk about it, the fact was still there. Shizuru had always loved me in a way that I could not respond to, but she kept saying she would be fine as long as I didn't leave her. Such love and devotion was something I was very unfamiliar with and I soon began to realize that I craved it.

Could I love Shizuru in that way?

"Natsuki?" I looked up to see the blonde standing over me. She smiled, holding out her hand. "Where should we go today, I wonder." she mused as we walked out to my bike.

"I'll take you anywhere you want to go. It's your birthday, after all." I replied.

She smiled, snuggling more into her scarf. "I don't mind as long as Natsuki is with me."

The day was spent well. We went shopping and visited a new art museum. It seemed like any normal weekend when I spent my days with her, but something was different. The air seemed warmer somehow. Every time she smiled, my heart stuttered a bit. I found myself letting out breaths I hadn't realized I was holding. All the while my chest was warm with an unfamiliar feeling. And when I gave her the present, nothing more than a simple pendant with her name inscribed on the back, the look she gave me was almost too much to bear.

I wanted to see her again.

Now I was sitting on the floor in my apartment. My thoughts were consumed with her and I wondered what this feeling was. At first I thought it could not have possibly been love; it was too soon after all. But as I thought about it, I realized that this feeling had been growing, slowly blooming in the pit of my stomach, since we had first met. Ever since I was little, love had been an alien, scary thing. But ever since I had met Shizuru, though she was weird and a bit annoying, slowly she had taught me how to love.

Before I knew it, I was riding as quickly as I could to her house. I knew that she was having dinner with her parents, but I sat at her door anyway. No matter what I needed to see her. I needed to confirm these feelings. Just one smile would do.

"Natsuki…" I heard that voice, but something was wrong. It seemed alien and, as I turned, I found out why.

My kind, strong-willed, loving Shizuru stood with her clothes torn and her scarf and bag gone, tears streaming down her face.

**AN: To all Shizuru fans (gets down on knees and bows) I'M REALLY SORRY! I know it's really, um… disturbing…? But I swear that it gets better. My critique asked how it could get better after she was… attacked as well, but love is on the way! It's depressing, but please stick with it.**

**R+R please.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: For those of you who have patiently been waiting to read the next chapter, I apologize for taking so long. As many of you may know, writer's block is a painful experience, so I've been holed away trying to come up with ideas when BAM! It hit me! Now let's just hope I don't mess this up. ;3**

**R+R Please!**

Things happened too quickly for me to properly process. At first Shizuru cried and hugged me all through the night, sobbing out incoherent words that I could never possibly understand. I stayed there all night, just trying to get her to calm down.

But something must have happened. I must have fallen asleep, for when I woke late the next afternoon she was gone. What clothes she had left behind were strewn about the floor and all the pictures that used to hang on the walls were now thrown into a large pile in a chair. Yet out of all the chaos, there was a single bit of order on the small table next to the door. The pendant I had given Shizuru for her birthday sat atop a note etched out in her delicate handwriting, dried tears still staining the paper. But rather than being a long letter explaining what the hell was going on there were only five words writing on that note.

_I'm sorry._

_Please forget me._

I looked everywhere I could think of. At one point I was in the middle of filling out a missing persons' report when Shizuru's father came to my door, himself. I was practically begging him to tell me what had happened, but he only told me that Shizuru didn't want to see me anymore. He wouldn't tell me what had happened that night, but when I brought it up he flinched. He just said that it was too painful for her to be with me now. And without another word, he left.

A year passed.

I still never got to tell her how I felt.

* * *

><p>"Happy birthday, Shizuru-chan~!" I flinched as I was bombarded with confetti and streamers. Looking up, I found that my attacker was none other than the lively brunette I had met my first day here in Setagaya District of Tokyo. Since our crash meeting at the train station, she had been stuck to me like glue. It was a nice change of pace after the slow events following <em>that<em> night.

"Thank you, Mato-chan." I said with a forced smile. I had not truly smiled in an entire year now. As I thought about that, the realization that this was not going to get any better weighed down on me like an anvil. It was constricting, almost suffocating, in fact.

"Hey, how is your final paper going? What are you writing about, Miss Criminologist?" Mato-chan inquired with a grin.

My gaze moved to the window. "I'm researching how traumatic experiences change one's personality within extremely short periods of time."

Mato looked up in alarm. "Th-that's kinda creepy…"

I shrugged, grabbing my bag and patting the shorter girl on the head. "How about I make it up to you with some coffee?"

Instantly the lively girl regained her previous vigor – a skill I envied. "Can we go try this new café? They're having a reading of the latest book by my favorite poet."

"Oh? I didn't know you liked poetry, Mato-chan." I mused. She nodded, energetically. We were just about to step onto the subway when my phone rang. "Hello?" I answered.

"How's it going over there?" a sullen voice inquired. Again a wave of despair fell over me. It disturbed me how easily I could hide it now, though. This was, after all, one of the signs we were taught to spot psychopaths. I believe it was called a lack of empathy.

"Fine," I said in a tone equally void of emotion.

My father sighed. "It's been a year, huh?" he mumbled.

"It wasn't your fault-"

"I know that. Someone else needs a bit more convincing, though…" I cringed, but remained silent as he continued. "Mai keeps her in check, but the girl just isn't the same."

"Father-"

Again he interrupted. "I know you don't want to hear this, but even if you can't be near her anymore, you should still keep track of her. You owe her that much, don't you?" he said in a voice lacking anger. "I'm sorry, sweetie. You didn't deserve any of this. You haven't been the same since then, I know, but… You two were so close and yet you asked me not to tell her anything… Is that not a bit cruel?"

I sighed. "It is…"

Knowing he would get nothing more out of me, my father bid me farewell and left me to try and regain a bit of my composure. However, when I turned to Mato to apologize, I found that she was the one with teary eyes and heavy breathing.

"Mato-chan, what's wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head, wiping her eyes. "Sorry. It's just… My friend sent me this." She handed me her phone. "It's from that poet I mentions earlier. I don't know… There was just too much feeling in it."

I read it.

* * *

><p>"Natsuki-sempai, um… Well you see, I-…"<p>

I watched as the girl standing before me with flushed cheeks stared down at her feet. In the past few months I had become disturbingly good at seeing through emotions. What was worse is that I had also become very good at manipulating them to fit my own needs.

"I'm sorry, but I already have feelings for someone else." I mumbled, looking directly into the girl's eyes as she stared up at me. "Besides, you would not want someone like me, anyway." When tears filled her eyes I gave her a weak smile. "You see, I'm too broken. I'd probably only end up hurting you, so…"

The girl shook her head. "No. Sempai isn't broken. You're really kind." she bowed and smiled, but ran off before I could see her break down into tears.

"I see you've managed to break another heart." I glanced back at the fiery red-head stalking up behind me. "You managed to graduate a year early and soon you'll be moving to Tokyo, yet you're still catching the eye of every student at Fuuka, aren't you?"

I shrugged. "I suppose it can't be helped since I'm there all the time." I replied, "My literature teacher asks me to help him out all the time."

"I honestly can't understand why." Mai huffed. "Kurosaki-sensei never uses your ideas anyway. He's fallen in love with some poet full of emotion and compassion. That's something you can't possibly recognize anymore, am I right?"

I shrugged again.

"See?" Mai snapped. "Saying something like that used to get me an ear full of screaming and a blow to the head, but now you won't do anything! What's happened to you, Natsuki? Is all this really because of her?"

My phone rang. "Hello?" I answered.

"How'd you do it?" the familiar voice on the other end demanded.

"Do what, Mato?" I asked, waving goodbye to Mai and walking towards my motorcycle.

"How did you manage to get that poem? I checked and it's not in any of the current books. It's from her new one, right?" Mato said, quickly. "I mean I know you're good. That's how we became friends. But no one is good enough to get a poem from Rosuto Suki before the freaking book comes out!"

"I told you I know her, didn't I?" I sighed, "She sends them to me all the time to get my opinion."

"Ah! You're so lucky!" Mato screeched. "Did you know it actually made a friend of mine cry? I mean she burst into tears right in the middle of a train!"

"I thought I told you to keep it a secret?" I stated.

"Yeah, sorry." Mato laughed, uncomfortably. "You see, Shizu-chan has been kinda down lately and I thought it might cheer her up. It looks like I was wrong, though."

I sighed. "Well at least you're making new friends. It somewhat worries me that you so easily hate people."

"Shizuru is different, though!" Mato objected. "The first time we met she reminded me so much of you that I thought you two might be related. She had that same look you always get. It was like she was thinking about someone really precious to her."

"Please try to branch out and find different types of people to befriend, Mato. Get into sports or something." I said, leaning back on my bike.

"But Shizuru-chan is so cool!" Mato argued. "She's really smart and really pretty too. You wouldn't believe how red her eyes are!"

My eyes widened. "Wait…"

"Yes?"

"Mato, do you know this girl's last name?" I asked, my voice sounding too far away.

"Ah. Fujino," she replied, confused. "Fujino Shizuru…"

**AN: Please note that Rosuto Suki literally translates as "Lost Love"**

**Just thought you should know. **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Alright since it took me so dang long to update the last chapter, I've taken the liberty of updating again. I am going to warn you, though. This is a very up-and-down story. Please prepare yourselves for more angst shortly. But for now, this is more romantic than anything else, I suppose.**

**So please enjoy and R+R**

_I wish I could be forever with you._

_I wish I could be the sun and the sea._

_So let me be a passing scenery,_

_A song with no name._

_Let me be the breath in your lungs,_

_Like smoke on a cold winter day._

_Let me be a single heartbeat,_

_For all of these things are fleeting;_

_They are forgotten._

_But all of these things are important_

_And cannot be lived without._

The lines of that poem still rang out in my head. I lay curled beneath the thick fleece of my bed, the crimson sunset my only source of light in this small room. My phone beeped again, but as it could have only been Mato or my father, I had no intention of answering. I simply wanted to sleep and forget for a moment that I was living in this pathetic little existence.

When my phone rang for possibly the hundredth time, I finally answered.

"If you hang up, I'll kill you." a very blunt voice called out. My eyes widened. Though we had never been close, I knew that voice from anywhere.

"Who's this?" I asked in a voice that seemed too far away to be my own.

"Shizuru, what happened to you?" Tokiha-san asked. "I mean I know I didn't know you that well, but it's not like you to just up and disappear."

"I think you have the wrong number-" I began.

"Fine. Just listen, then." she snapped. "Ever since you disappeared, she hasn't been the same. I can't even get the girl to lose her temper anymore!"

I hesitated in my words, but they needed to be said. "How does this have anything to do with me?"

Mai seemed a bit shaken from my words, but it did not deter her rampage as I thought it would. Instead her voice grew louder. Soon I was holding the phone away from my ear just to keep from rupturing it.

"I don't know what could have possibly happened to make you so cold, but you took all the happiness Natsuki could have had and now you have to make up for it." she practically growled.

"…And how do you think I'm going to do that?"

She snorted. "I haven't been talking your ear off for no reason."

A knock came at the door.

* * *

><p>Shizuru was in Tokyo. She was a thousand miles away but she was so close that I felt like I could grab her from where I stood. After all this time, I finally knew where that devil with a halo was.<p>

But did I really want to know?

"She's been avoiding me all this time. What if she really hates me?" I asked of Mai.

"There is no way in heaven or hell that Fujino Shizuru could possibly hate you, Natsuki." Mai replied, "Clearly something happened. I bet that if you just go talk to her then she might open up to you again."

"But her father said that it was too painful for her to be around me anymore." I mumbled in despair. "What if I only end up hurting her again? I want to see her, but I don't want her to grow to despise me."

Mai stood, yanking me to my feet. "I've never in my life seen someone so passive when it comes to love, Natsuki. Are you just going to lay down and die or are you going to tell Fujino how you feel?" she snapped.

I blinked, surprised.

"I'm tired of seeing you like this all the time. I want my short-tempered badass biker back, not this sullen push-over I'm stuck with now." she growled. "This is a love story and you're the knight in shining armor. Now get your act together and go after the princess, moron!"

At that moment, something clicked in me and I smiled. Mai rolled her eyes, shoving me towards the door to her apartment. I waved a silent thank you and farewell before running outside and mounting my bike. I felt the bit of exhilaration I used to always get when the engine revved and my heart nearly soared as I weaved in and out of traffic.

Everything moved too slowly. Even though I was abusing my position and managed to get a private jet, it still took several hours for me to exit the airport nearest Tokyo. There I rented a lovely looking Ducati and shot through the incredible amount of traffic as quickly as I could. I had managed to get the address from Mato, but I wondered if she would even be there. Mai was sending me texts all the while, telling me that she wouldn't answer the phone. Soon my anxiety was so bad that I could barely keep my hands from shaking.

Then, I got another text. She was home! She was finally within reach after all this time. And after spending ten minutes convincing the land lord of her apartment that I was an old friend, I finally climbed the stairs to the top floor. And within minutes, I was standing in front of her door.

My hand was trembling so much that I struggled just to knock on the door. For the longest time I simply stood there, wondering if she knew I was here. Panic rose in my chest as the minutes ticked by. The little bits of doubt in the back of my mind grew and grew until I could barely breathe.

But the door opened and I was greeted by those wonderful wine-colored eyes I had grown to depend on so much. They widened in utter shock and the woman stepped back, staring at me as if I were a ghost. Then that voice I had longed to hear finally reached my ears.

"Nat-…-suki…" Shizuru whispered.

* * *

><p>It was as if God had cursed me. After everything that had happened, I had finally managed to start a new life and now everything was falling apart again. As I looked into those striking green eyes I could only see what died in me that day. I could only see what could have been and what would never be. I could only see pain and despair waiting for me in the future.<p>

Tears stung my eyes and I shook my head. "No…" I whispered, pleading with whatever supernatural power was desperately trying to ruin me. Why did this have to happen? Had I not suffered enough already?

"Shizuru, wait." Natsuki said in a soft, hurt voice that, more than anything, I did not wish to hear. "I know you probably hate me, but I need to tell you something. Just listen and I'll disappear forever. I won't ever come looking for you again."

I tried to run, to flee to my bedroom where I could lock myself in, but Natsuki caught my wrist. I was pinned to the wall, but even though her strength was enough to keep me in her grasp, it did not hurt. Her touch was tender and kind and that hurt more than any violent act she could commit against me.

"I've been thinking about this for a really long time." she continued in that quiet voice. "I wanted to tell you that night but… And then you just disappeared and I didn't know what to do anymore. But this time I won't let this chance slip away. I want to tell you how I really feel."

I shook my head, tears freely streaming down my face now. "No!" I cried. "The person Natsuki is looking for… The person you want isn't me!"

Natsuki's free hand came up to my face, wiping the tears from my eyes. "What are you talking about? The person I've been looking for is right here."

"But she's not!" I argued through strangled sobs. "I'm not that person anymore. The "me" from that time isn't here anymore."

Natsuki gave me a sad smile which only made me cry harder. "No matter what happened in the past or what happens in the future, Shizuru is still Shizuru. _You_ are still you." she whispered. "And no matter how much you've changed or how much you will change, you will still be the only person I love."

"No!"

"I love you, Shizuru."

"N-" But my protests were cut off by a soft pressure against my lips. I pushed Natsuki back, shaking my head again. "This can't-"

"I love you." she asserted again, gently. Again she kissed me, the hand gripping at my wrist sliding down to pull my hair back. And as I felt her warmth flood me, my anxiety and my fears all began to melt away. All of the pain that had been weighing down on me over the last year began to heal and slowly my heart starting opening up again.

And out of nowhere, I fell in love again.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I'm on a roll with this story. I was really inspired recently so here it goes again. This chapter still has a somewhat sweet mood, so I hope you enjoy. Please don't forget to R+R and tell me how you like it so far. **

When I woke early in the morning and felt the familiar emptiness of my massive bed and a gaping void in my stomach, the fear that everything I felt last night had been nothing but a dream. It left me empty and broken and I felt like screaming.

But just as the tears began to sting my eyes, I heard the light padding of feet. I refused to turn around, though. I wouldn't allow myself to hope it would be anyone besides Mato, the only person with a key to my apartment. If I hoped, it would only hurt more when those hopes were crushed.

I shut my eyes, tightly, wishing I could go back to sleep and forget that dream that would never come true. I wished so badly to forget about her just as Natsuki must have forgotten about me. I wished that we had never met, for perhaps this entire ordeal might not be so bad if I had not loved her so much. Perhaps I could have moved on and found someone who could fill this painful hole in my heart. Perhaps I could move on from that alleyway and the end of that life.

However, instead of hearing the energetic voice of the lively brunette, I felt the bed move as weight fell upon it just behind my back. Then a soft pressure fell on my hair and raven hair cascaded all around me. It was enough to break my will and force me to turn. And as I looked up, my gaze was met with one of emeralds and it took my breath away. What made it worse was the smile that graced that angelic face as that hand again came to pull back my hair.

"Good morning, Shizuru." that soft, melodic voice whispered.

"Natsuki…" was my stunned reply. She laughed a soft, throaty laugh that made my chest swell. I sat up, still unable to believe that she was here, right in front of me. I could not help but reach out a trembling hand, but I was too afraid that this dream might shatter if I dared to touch her.

Natsuki grabbed my hand though, kissing the back of it before holding it close to her face. Tears flooded my eyes and I latched around her neck, sobbing. She held me close, whispering soothing words. We sat there for what seemed like ages before I could calm down enough to let go. Yet the entire time Natsuki simply sat there, seeming to be perfectly content.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, pulling back and rubbing my eyes.

"Don't be." she replied, gently wiping stray tears away. "I told you, didn't I? I'll love you no matter what."

* * *

><p>I was quite thankful that school was currently not an issue for me. While Shizuru went to the few classes she had during the week, I sort of just laid about her apartment. My laziness disappeared whenever she walked in the door, though. Instantly I would welcome her home and we would make dinner. I enjoyed the peace and warmth of our ever evolving relationship. It made my heart skip a beat every time I could get Shizuru to laugh or even to just smile. I would not trade anything in the world for it or her.<p>

The only hard part was our decision to recount our year spent apart. I had come intending to forget it ever happened, but Shizuru insisted. She wanted to know about the person I had grown in to, even if some parts of my tale were painful to hear. And as she began to work her way backward, I realized that I had wanted to know as well. It had been eating away at me ever since she spoke those words the night we met again.

"_I'm not that person anymore."_

However, when we finally reached that night that we parted ways, Shizuru could not keep the tears from her eyes and I would not allow her to tell me any more than she was ready to. Still, even a week from then, she did not mention it. I did not mind, though, nor did I press for any information. More than anything else I wanted to see my angel smile and if bringing up that night would bring such tears to her eyes, I was not willing to push the matter.

Besides the first night, where I fell asleep on the couch after carrying the blonde to bed, I had been sleeping in the guest bedroom. I thought it best that way, feeling that Shizuru still needed time to fully open up. But around two a.m. I woke to the sound of a strangled cry. I nearly got myself killed when I fell out of bed, but when I finally managed to scramble towards the source of the sound, I found Shizuru sobbing and trembling like a leaf.

While I had changed quite a bit over the past year, I was still very naïve when it came to handling feelings, especially if they were not my own. All I could think to do was try and get her to snap out of it, and when that didn't work I just held her in my arms, rocking back and forth in an attempt to soothe her. Desperately I begged for a sign about what to do, something to keep the panic and worry from rising in my chest.

What happened that would make her cry like this?

* * *

><p>I felt terrible. Natsuki was being so patient with me. She had been holed up in my apartment for over a two weeks now, not knowing anyone in Tokyo, and yet she had not uttered one complaint. Now she was curled up next to me, most likely exhausted from trying to calm me down throughout the night. I stroked her hair, weighing the benefits of going back to sleep again.<p>

However, my plans were foiled by the ringing of my phone. I answered it quickly so as not to wake the raven-haired goddess next to me, but soon regretted it as I heard Mato shouting on the other line.

"Come again?" I asked as quietly as I could.

"Girls night!" she shouted, eagerly. "I just won a weekend trip to a spa and I am inviting you and whoever you want to bring. I'm bringing my friend Sakura-chan, so I want you to bring someone too."

At first I was going to decline as I always did, but then I glanced down at Natsuki. The idea of getting her out into the world again was not unappealing. While I was perfectly content keeping her all to myself, I knew that she needed to interact with other people. In fact, she might enjoy meeting Mato-chan and her friend. So I agreed and quietly hung up before she could continue talking, then proceeded to curl back under the blankets.

The sun was bright that day and the sea that rushed by through the train window was stunning, but none of it could compare to Natsuki's beauty as she looked about her with renewed vigor. I couldn't help but smile every time she looked at me with that magnificent light reflecting through her beautiful eyes.

"Natsuki-chan?" The two of us looked up to see Mato standing with a shy blonde right on her heels. The brunette beamed, landing in the seat across from ours. "What a surprise! I didn't know you two were friends!"

I looked at Natsuki, curiously and she shrugged. "How do you think I found out you were in Tokyo?" she inquired.

"You two are friends? That's amazing!" Mato said after our long explanation. By the time Natsuki had finished we were being shown to our rooms. Mato ended up sharing a room with her friend and Natsuki and I shared the other. We all intended to spend the day together, but somehow or another Natsuki and I never did find them again. I did not particularly mind, though. Spending the day with Natsuki was all I could ever possibly ask for. To see her smiling was more than enough to satisfy me.

But as night came, again I was reminded of my nightmares. Fear gripped at my chest as I wondered if they would haunt me again this very evening. I had not had one in weeks, but with every nightmare came a renewed despair that I could not handle on my own. The hole that opened in my chest was too painful to bear and I wanted so badly to simply disappear. I wanted to sleep without dreams, to escape this world that was so filled with pain.

Suddenly, I felt Natsuki begin to move and I worried that I may have woken her. To my surprise, however, her arm wrapped around my waist and she gently pulled me into a warm embrace, throwing her blanket over my shoulders. I felt her bury her face in my hair, her chin resting against my shoulder. She let out a contented sigh and gently squeezed me, making all of my fears melt away.

"I love you." she said. And with those words she melted my despair as well. I could only smile as I closed my eyes and fell into a peaceful slumber.

My dreams were sweet that night.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Ok so some of you have been hoping for a chance to see Shizuru back in her prime. Well here is where it all starts. I didn't make her major in criminology for nothing!**

**On another note, in this chapter there shall be mature language. I don't particularly like it, but the situation calls for it, so sorry. Just thought I might warn you.**

**R+R please!**

At first I honestly thought absolutely nothing could go wrong. I was getting to sleep in at a nice spa with the love of my life right next to me. Nothing could ruin my good mood, even when I was half asleep. Just as long as Shizuru was with me, I was on top of the world.

Then, a loud crash sounded from outside. Years of strenuous conditioning caused me to jump, surveying my surroundings. Shizuru sat up, wrapping her arms lazily around my neck. At first I thought I had just been imagining it. But, as I was about to lay down again, the sound came again, this time closer.

It was a sound I was not pleased to be familiar with.

People began screaming, running past our door as they fumbled for an escape. "Nobody leaves!" someone barked. More gunshots sounded, one coming from right next to the door. "Until that bitch is found every woman is kept here, understand?"

"Shit!" I said under my breath.

"Natsuki, what's going on?" Shizuru asked, only keeping from hysterics because of our exposure to such violence in the past.

"I'll explain later. Right now we need to leave." I whispered, throwing some clothes at her to change into. I did the same and when we were dressed I poked my head out the door. They were starting to scan the rooms, starting from each end and working their way to the middle. It wouldn't be long until they got here and found us. Then we would really be in for it.

Only one way out…

"This is gonna suck." I sighed, grabbing Shizuru's hand. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded. "I always have and nothing will change that."

"Good." I grinned, running towards the window. At the last second I turned my back to it, wrapping my arms around Shizuru. We landed on the ground far below and I stood, having landed without hitting anything important. Someone shouted and gunshots pelted the ground at our heels, but I pulled Shizuru ahead of me and spun back, taking aim.

One down.

A howl sounded and my life just suddenly got a lot worse. But of course they would release the dogs. I was just _that_ unlucky. First he showed up out of nowhere and now he had an entire freaking mob chasing after me!

Two down.

The dogs were closer than I thought.

* * *

><p>My mind was running faster than I was as I was thinking of escape routes through the trees to throw off our pursuers. Not only that, but I was running statistics and racking my brain for how many subjects there were. From what I had heard, there were at least eight, though now it was only six. And beneath all of that I was doing all the math to see how long it would take the police to be informed, get here, and save the hostages. Would Mato and her friend be alright by that time? Surely since the majority of these criminals were now focused on us.<p>

I was about to turn to point out a river to Natsuki when a dog came sprinting past me. It slammed into Natsuki, tackling her to the ground. The gun she thought she had concealed from me this entire trip now flew out across the ground and another dog stepped between it and me, snarling.

This just wasn't my day.

The dark continued to snarl and bark and I rolled my eyes, pulling my treasure from where it was secured around my thigh. "Oh shut up!" I snapped, hitting the dog squarely between the eyes. It yelped and the other jumped, lunging at me next. It was dispatched just a quickly, a second knife stabbing straight in the center of its chest.

Natsuki stared at me, dumbfounded. I grabbed her wrist, pulling her up and into the river. The water was freezing, but when we finally got to the other side we were far out of range. We sat gasping for a while, staring at each other.

"Clearly we haven't told each other everything, have we?" I asked.

It was late evening and Natsuki was sitting cross-legged on the bed of our motel room. She looked extremely uncomfortable, a sense of guilt flooding her gaze. She kept apologizing, trying to convince me that she didn't know who they were even though I believed her. No matter what I said I couldn't get her to slow down. Instead, an idea formed in the back of my mind and I acted on it.

Natsuki's voice was silenced as I pressed my lips to hers. She blinked, that oh so familiar blush hinting on her cheeks. I gave her a gentle smile, oddly enough not feeling any compulsion to tease her into an ever redder hue.

"Why don't you start from the beginning?" I asked, gently.

Natsuki nodded. "Well, you see, I'm a writer and sometimes my fans get a little… obsessed. I have a pen name so they won't know who I really am and my publisher handles all the public appeal stuff, but…"

"But?" I pressed.

"About two months ago I started getting bouquets. At first I just thought it was one of my classmates, but then the little trinkets and the letters got a little… intense." she mumbled. "I tried ignoring them, but then I got this one."

Natsuki pulled a piece of folded paper from her pocket and handed it to me. I opened it and a photo fell out. It was of the two of us. I remembered the day quite well. We had been reading in the garden. Natsuki had fallen asleep and I was sprawled out next to her, enjoying the warm sun on my skin.

But no one had been there to take pictures.

I'LL MAKE SURE NOTHING GETS IN THE WAY THIS TIME. That was the only thing written in the letter. They were written in printed caps, but the pressure put into each letter nearly tore the paper. Whoever had written this had obviously not only been angry, but enraged to the point of madness.

* * *

><p>Shizuru stared at the letter and the photo for a long time, but my eyes kept wandering to the remaining knives strapped around her thigh beneath her skirt. She noticed my stare and sighed, standing me up and half dragging me to the nearest payphone. First we called the police, finding out that three women had been killed but four suspects were found, not including the dead ones. After that she made a call to someone else, listening for a long while as the person spoke with erratic speed.<p>

"Mina, calm down." Shizuru sighed. "Look, I am coming in today and I'm bringing a friend with me." She glanced at me as the other person spoke. "Tell Haguro we may have a new case."

"Shizuru, what's going on?" I asked as she led me down the streets. Her hand rested in the crook of my elbow, parading me about as if we were close friends and she was completely drunk.

Then, we reached the doors to a government office. Before I could object she dragged me inside. Just as I had expected, our drop-in led to several officers seeing the gun at my side and pointing even bigger ones at me. Much to my surprise, though, Shizuru stepped in front of me.

"Stand down!" she snapped. "This girl is a witness and in my custody, got it?"

The officers hesitated, but a twinge of fear came from them both as they backed off. I was grateful when Shizuru grabbed my hand and I did not let go of it until we walked into a huge room with several desks surrounded by more private offices half a level up. I had just barely noticed the strange stares I was getting when a very colorful blonde with jewelry galore and strangely designed glasses walked up and examined me. A huge smile fell on her face and she looked to Shizuru, pointing to me and stuttering.

"W-Where did you find this girl?" she demanded. "There is absolutely no way you could possibly know her!"

Shizuru smiled, sheepishly. "I sorta just pieced this together, but is there any chance that someone hacked your computer looking for your files, Natsuki?"

"Um… about three months ago. My publisher said it was taken care of, but the person got some of my poems." I mumbled, my nerves completely shot.

"That's not all she got." Shizuru sighed.

"I am your biggest fan Suki-sama! I love your poems so much!" the blonde exclaimed.

I blinked. "Natsuki, this is Hitsunagi Mina, one of the best hackers in Japan and tech support for CPS."

"Tell me, how do you know the Criminal Profiling Support Unit's star profiler?" the blonde asked.

**Don't worry. All will be explained in due time...**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Wow it's been a long time. Viruses will do that to you, though. So I won't sit here and explain. Just enjoy.**

**R+R please!**

Was so beyond confused as the lively blonde circled around me like some little fan girl. Obviously she had somehow discovered who I was, but I could not fathom how her brain worked as she went from explaining how my poems affected her to dragging me about on a tour of the office.

As I listened, I discovered that Shizuru had just started working here at the CPS just three months ago and had already made it to this elite team. Apparently these people were the best of the best. Mina here had been arrested for hacking into some secret government facility's mainframe and then offered a job because they couldn't prove it.

The others were just as interesting.

"Kai, get over here!" Mina shouted. A young man who couldn't have been older than twenty appeared in a very awkward fashion. He looked me over, giving me a welcoming smile, or what he could manage. "Suki-san, this is Hiburagi Kai. His IQ is ones of the highest in the district and he is one of the youngest recruits to be brought into this unit, besides Shizuru."

"Nice to meet you. Um, how did you get past security?" he asked.

"Kai, this is that friend everyone has been theorizing about. The one that Shizuru lost," Mina replied.

"So this is the girl that brought my baby girl to Tokyo, huh?" a large black man observed. He offered his hand. "The name is Derricks. James Derricks."

I shook his hand.

"Hey, could you answer a question for me?" Kai inquired. "In order for Shizuru to be capable of bringing someone from her personal life into this building, probability and statistics based off of her personality state it has to be someone extremely important to her. So assuming that you are not merely close friends, would you mind describing your relationship with her to me?"

"Boys, interrogating our guest is not a way to make friends." A brunette appeared from around the corner with a gentle smile. "Shizuru sent me out here to check on you. She's discussing something with the boss at the moment, but she'll be right out."

I was too overwhelmed to actually respond, so I nodded. The sympathetic woman led me into her private office where she slammed the door in the three faces of my pursuers. "Thanks," I finally managed to mumble as she handed me a cup of coffee.

"It's my pleasure. I'm Kirihara," she said, warmly. "Shizuru helped me out of jam practically her first week here, so I owe her a favor."

"Are they always like that?" I asked, glancing out the window to spot the trio trying to get a good look at me from another office.

Kirihara shut the blinds. "They're just a bit excited." she explained. "Shizuru is very private, so we have yet to meet anyone from her personal life. You're sort of the new specimen that everyone wants to study."

"I see…"

The woman laughed. "I'm really sorry. It's somewhat hard to explain."

"Try me," I challenged.

She grinned. "Shizuru is very skilled at hiding what she's thinking or feeling. Not a single one of us has ever been able to read her, not even our boss." she explained. "However, over the last week or two, we've been able to catch her off guard. That's a sign that something big has changed in her life. We've tried getting Mina to hack her file, but someone very high up has an eye on our little blonde. All we could figure out is that one of her old classmates is moving into a very… spacious apartment in three days. It was easy after that to infer that this Kuga Natsuki person was very important to Shizuru. It just surprised us that she brought you here so soon."

Suddenly, the door opened. Shizuru made it to my side in two strides and hugged me. "I'm sorry, Natsuki. I didn't mean to leave you for so long."

"Now I see what you've done with your talents." I mumbled. "Who knew being a skilled manipulator would come in handy."

Shizuru gave a pout at my tease. "Ikezu…" she mumbled, falling into that painfully familiar Kouto-ben dialect.

"Shizuru," A tall, older man appeared in the doorway. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask your friend a few questions regarding her little stalker."

"Haguro-san, you don't have to do this." Shizuru objected.

"This person's obsession with your friend here may be a threat to one of my best agents. This is definitely my problem."

Shizuru looked at me, silently telling me it was okay if I didn't want to. Still, I couldn't get the man's words out of my head. If this stalker was any sort of threat to Shizuru, they would be lucky if I didn't find him first. After all, Tokyo was already due for a new order. What did it matter if I asserted my newfound power a little prematurely?

* * *

><p>"You sure know how to pick them, Shizuru." Kirihara smirked.<p>

"At least she's not a terrorist." I shot back, recalling that the older woman's last relationship ended with a suicide bombing.

"Ah, but is the heir to one of the world's most notorious crime families much better?"

"I think so." I replied. "At least she won't off herself."

The older woman frowned. "I'm only saying this because I know your relationship with that girl is more personal than just an old friend."

"Oh?"

"You've made more personal contact with that girl in the last ten minutes than anyone on this team since you've been here. I've seen more emotion on your face since you walked in this room than I have since you applied for a job here." she ranted. "Plus that kid is as easy to read as a children's book. She was uneasy and stiff with everyone, even when I was being so empathetic, until you came into the room. The only difference is that while you are completely dependent on her happiness, that girl will most likely move on as soon as she gets into power. You're expendable to her and I don't want to see you hurt."

I laughed. "Do you think I haven't realized that?" Kirihara looked taken aback. "I understand that she could throw me aside at any moment. I simply don't care. Until that time comes, I am perfectly happy being any use I can to her."

"Shizu-"

"That being said," I interrupted, "I am going to give you a little warning, as I do enjoy your company. I do hope that we can remain friends, but if you cause Natsuki any sort of harm, I'll make sure you disappear within the week."

I said all of this with my trademark smile, feeling a tinge of the madness that had almost destroyed me during the Hime incident. Kirihara knew I was perfectly capable of making good on my threat, even if I was unlikely to do so. I loved this job and my colleagues, but none of that mattered compared to Natsuki. She had restored a part of me that I thought was irreplaceable. And though I would probably never be the same person she claimed to fall in love with, I was perfectly content with this median and there was nothing in the world that could make me give it up.

Kirihara nodded, seemingly accepting my statement. I knew she would understand and that was what I liked about her. No matter what, she would be the person to understand my need for Natsuki, even if it was not good for me.

I walked out of the room just as Natsuki finished her questioning. Haguro-san gave me the day off and told me to go home. That proved difficult, however, as I had to sneak Natsuki through the doors. Once we were indeed safe on the streets, though, I relaxed, grabbing her hand.

"Hmmm…" That contemplative tone was not one I was familiar with, so I looked up at Natsuki, curiously. "Your coworkers are… interesting."

I sighed. "I am terribly sorry. They all think it's some huge mystery that I avoid telling them about my personal life."

She shook her head. "I've met worse. You have no idea how strange the underclassmen are at school, especially in the English department."

At that point our walk home was filled with an uneasy silence. I had almost forgotten about the last year. It felt like a dream now that I was with Natsuki again. She had pulled me out of this endless abyss more than once, but this time I needed to at least make an attempt on my own. No matter how much I hated to admit it, Kirihara was right. I was completely expendable to this raven-haired girl. She was an accomplished writer now and could probably get any man or woman in the world she wanted. Then there was the fact that, at any given time, she could take back a legendary organized crime family that had been handed down to her by her estranged father, another job that gave her plenty of opportunities to upgrade to a better lover or whatever it is that we were. And on top of that, if that became a possibility, she would certainly have to end my life in order to remain a ghost.

I unlocked the door to my apartment, letting Natsuki in first. Her phone rang, but it was not the one I had seen her with for the past week. Instead this was a nicer smart phone with some sort of insignia on the back.

The conversation was short, but as I passed by her I could hear someone shouting on the other end about a publishing date. As she hung up, I saw my chance to fall back into my devious old patterns and as I drew closer I wondered if I could still summon that incredible red on my precious biker's face.

"I almost forgot," I mused with a grin, "You haven't told me what you do, exactly."

"I told you. I'm a writer." she mumbled.

I circled around her, holding up the expensive phone I had lifted from her pocket. "But you haven't shown me any of your work."

In vain Natsuki attempted to steal back her phone. Her predictability was sad as I guessed her password on the first try and went through the draft she had just been sent of her latest work. But as I read, I wish she had managed to steal the phone away from me. I wished that I couldn't guess the password or find the file so easily as I read the words of her latest work.

_This heart is empty,_

_This heart is cold,_

_And my soul feels so very old._

_You're cruelty cut me to the core_

_Until even my bones ached._

_I'm lost, confused._

_How could I live feeling so abused?_

_Sometimes it's worse to have lost,_

_Than to have ever had at all._

_It's simply a curse to have love_

_And to feel it all dissolve._

**AN: Just a heads up. The next chapter will probably push the rating, but if you've read this far I doubt you care. This is a courtesy for those of you who do.**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Awe… I read my reviews again and just felt so happy that I was motivated to write another chapter! There's a little angst in the beginning, but then it's more love and fluff and love that's not so fluff. We'll just see how it goes.**

**R+R PLEASE!**

For a moment I thought that nothing had changed between us. Shizuru was teasing me with no end in sight, but then she got my phone. I tried to stop her, but she read it anyway. I knew, even without looking, that she had found the poem. It was the equivalent of a guide to my feelings for the past year.

Shizuru handed me back my phone, never turning to look at me. "I'm sorry, Shizuru. I didn't really know what I was doing when I wrote that one. I hate it, actually."

"No, no, no…" she said in a voice that shook. "Don't be _sorry._ That's too much…"

"Shizuru…" I could sense that impending doom. It felt just like that night when she told me how she felt. I could practically see that look of horror on her face as I pushed her away. It sent a wave of dread through me that nearly stopped my heart as I waited for some sort of response, some explanation.

"How could I do that to you?" she asked of no one in particular. "All those years I claimed that I loved you. I did so many terrible things in the name of love and when you finally felt something, I ran away. How can you stand to be in the same _room _with me after all that?"

I grabbed Shizuru by the shoulders, holding her close. "I told you," I said with as much conviction as I could put in my words. "I love you. Nothing else matters now because we're together."

"It can't be that simple though." she protested. "I don't want you to have to forget an entire year for my sake. You shouldn't have to do these things for someone as meaningless as me."

At this I pulled back, staring at her. Shizuru wouldn't meet my gaze, her wine-colored eyes filling with tears. I could see it in her gaze. She honestly believed that she wasn't worth the time of day. Down to the very source of all those teasing remarks and heart-attack-inducing smiles she thought I could and should just move on.

"If you were meaningless, I wouldn't have ever picked up a pen." I stated, firmly. "If you were forgettable, I would be lying dead in some ditch by now. I can't move on because you're the only really good thing that's ever happened to me. I'm here now because I want to be. It's not out of pity or some source of responsibility or whatever else you think it might be. I'm here because you make me happy and no matter how hard I tried when you first left, I couldn't get you out of my damn head."

"Natsuki…"

"Shizuru, I love you. I don't want to forget you, ever. You mean so much to me. If you hadn't left, I would have never truly realized how important you really are." I continued, getting sort of lost in my own daring speech. "I'll admit that it was hard. I didn't know what happened to you or what I did to make you hate me, but now I don't care anymore. Just as long as I can have you, I'll forget everything. I'll leave my whole life behind if I can just be with you. So don't you dare think you're meaningless or forgettable, because I can't live without you."

Shizuru just nodded, seemingly unable to speak. I wiped the tears from her eyes, kissing her. Her lips were warm and sweet as my fingers slid into her hair. I inhaled the sweet scent of her skin and thought that it had to be more addictive than any drug, more potent than any other aroma. My free hand came around her back, pulling her closer. The temperature in the room seemed to increase with every second that passed and yet I only wanted to get closer.

She pulled back for a gasp of air. "You're too kind to me…" she whispered, her arms coming around my neck.

I pushed her down onto the couch, bent over her. "It's isn't kindness when I'm taking what I want."

The night's entertainment was filled with stifled moans and heavy breathing. It all seemed to be a blur and yet painfully clear as I selfishly took in all of Shizuru. Urgency was mixed with passion and the combination exploded through the room. Emotions were laid bare as everything not pertaining to this aching need disappeared in my mind.

We somehow made it to Shizuru's room and fell onto the bed. Our lips parted again and mine fell to her neck, leaving a trail of kisses from the base of her jaw down to her shoulder. My hand slid up her waist, slipping beneath the fabric of her shirt.

I paused only once to look down into those crimson eyes. The emotions in them now matched my own, but I wanted to make sure she was okay with this. I wasn't going to make her do anything she didn't want to do. I would wait until the end of time if that's how long it took. None of that mattered if she was happy.

But now her hands tangled in my hair, pulling me down until our lips met again. And with that the night continued.

* * *

><p><em>POV of a curious co-worker<em>

"Kirihara," I looked up from my desk to see Mina standing in the door with a look of genuine horror. "We think a body-snatcher took Shizuru."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, walked out to look at the main office.

"Mine, she's coming through the door!" Hiburagi called.

"You guys should have seen her going through security." Derricks even looked surprised at this point and my curiosity was peaked. I looked up at the entrance and the blonde in question appeared. Shockingly enough, she was smiling and was glued to the tablet she had been given her first day – the one she never touched.

Shizuru sat down at her desk and we all took the opportunity to surround her. She turned to face us in her chair, a cup of green tea in her hand. "What's up?" she inquired.

"Is that a Kyoto-ben accent?" Hiburagi inquired.

"Indeed," she replied, taking a sip of her tea. The face she had while she was doing it was so alien that I almost believed them about the body-snatcher. During the entire time she had worked with us, I hadn't once seen any sort of look of enjoyment on her face. I had simply thought that she was incapable of feeling joy.

We all watched in fascination as Shizuru went about her day. Even Haguro noticed that she was off. There was definitely something wrong, we decided. That girl must have died. Shizuru must have had a nervous breakdown. Now we were all just waiting for her to start stabbing us with those knives that she never seemed to run out of. It wouldn't be long now.

There was a loud thud and I was certain it had finally happened. I turned to see who she had stabbed first, but instead is was Hiburagi searching through her tablet, scrolling through the files. "Keep a lookout for me." he said, searching the history. "She's good. She's already deleted the history."

"This wasn't part of our profile. She would have snapped by now if that kid died, right?" Derricks asked, looking around.

"Ara, ara, what is everyone doing around my desk?" We all felt a chill at that tone of voice. It was still sweet, but held a very evil and dangerous undertone. It was the fastest I had ever seen anyone clear a desk.

This kid was terrifying.

"How are you today, Shizuru?" Mina asked, keeping a wary distance from her best friend.

"I'm fine. You're not, though, are you?" she observed with a devious smile. "Ara? Is my new approach at life not making you comfortable? I can go back to my anti-fun self again if you want me to."

"No, it's just that you seem different." I chimed in. "Did something happen?"

She made a very dramatic thinking pose, tilting her head towards the ceiling before shaking her head. "I can't really think of anything that happened recently. I haven't been here the last few days though."

That was code for: None of your damn business.

It didn't take but five minutes to guess what happened, though. Apparently the others couldn't see it, even when a certain raven-haired girl was nearly arrested for parking a Ducati in front of a government building. It was obvious, though. No matter what kind of advice I had given my co-worker, she was still head-over-heels for the heiress to a crime empire.

But when I saw that look in the younger girl's eyes, I knew I had been wrong and so had Shizuru. She was anything but expendable. I had no doubt that the biker would do anything for her and, at this point, that was exactly what I was afraid of.

"Ara? Natsuki came to see me. I feel so important!" Shizuru teased.

Suddenly a blush came over her companion's face that was so unbearably cute it even attracted the straightest of women in the room. "Shut up! You told me your boss needed to see me."

"Did I?"

"Shizuru!"

**AN: It was short but I didn't want to do too much in this chapter. But look! Shizuru is back!**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: I am really sorry. I kinda forgot that this existed? I'm going to try really hard to update it more regularly so thank you very much for being so patient with me. You guys are the best. I love you!**

**R+R**

She was getting in the way again.

There was my goddess, standing in the sun with her ivory skin capturing its light just perfectly. But, just as it had been before, her image was being ruined by the abomination at her side. I thought I had already given the little bitch enough warning, but apparently her birthday present didn't get my point across well enough. I would have to get rid of her once and for all. Under no circumstances would I allow such a filthy creature to stay by my Suki's side.

"Boss, she's a cop now. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I don't give a shit who she is now!" I shouted at the imbecile behind me. "If that whore isn't gone in three days, I'll castrate the lot of ya!"

"What do you have in mind?" a calm, collective voice inquired. I looked at the spectacled man towering over me and pulled the knife from my belt.

"Kai!" I shouted. The scrawny kid approached with his head lowered and a tail practically between his legs. I grinned. "Go remind our lady friend how friendly she was to you last time you met. If she doesn't intend to do that again, she best get out of town, understand?"

"Yeah boss." he replied with a chuckle.

I turned to the spectacled man. "We'll just see how much this love she claims to have really means to her, won't we?"

* * *

><p>I found myself constantly worrying over Shizuru. Work kept us apart for most of the day, but she couldn't avoid me, entirely. While she tried to be as honest as possible with me I knew she was hiding something. Nearly two months had passed and still she hadn't told me about her birthday a year ago. I thought at first that I would be content with that. As long as I could have her I thought I didn't mind. We were always trading off between her apartment and my own, making dinners or eating out. When we were together I felt happy, and I honestly believed that Shizuru felt the same way.<p>

But then that night came.

We had gone to see some strange movie about robots and aliens and were walking back to my apartment. Mato and her friend Sakura had also come, and we were all laughing and having a grand time. Shizuru was hanging on my arm, her head resting on my shoulder as she shivered a bit from the cold. All was right in the world and nothing could ruin my mood.

"Oh? I know you!" a voice shouted.

Shizuru went completely stiff, her eyes widening. Her hands trembled as she clung more tightly to me, and her whole body began to quake. I looked back at the scrawny young man who had spoken. His red hair hung in a mess around his face, and his green eyes were directly aimed at the blonde at my side.

The man turned to completely face us, drawing in the attention of several of his friends. "You guys remember, don't ya? We had a lot of fun the last time we saw you." he sneered. "Won't you come play with us again sometime?"

Silently I detached myself from Shizuru's grip. She looked up at me in horror, but I could not meet her gaze. Instead I looked to Mato. "Could you make sure she gets home safe?"

"Natsuki what-"

"I'll be fine." I assured the girl. "Just take her to my apartment and wait for me there. I'll catch up in a little while."

When the trio was out of sight I rounded my gaze back onto the men. They laughed and the one who spoke before began taunting me. "That was a fine piece of ass. Do you think I could borrow it again sometime? It was so much fun."

Perhaps it was my glare, or perhaps they recognized my face, but sudden realization dawned upon the other in the group, and soon they left their friend in the dust. Alone his bravery was far thinner, and desperately he tried to escape me. I wouldn't allow it, dragging him into an alley by the collar of his shirt. There I pulled out my beloved, hand-crafted nine millimeter, kneeling down in front of him with a sigh. "I think you and I need to have a little chat."

The man tried to scream, but as I pressed the barrel of my gun into his head he stopped. "Please don't kill me." he begged.

"Why would I kill you?" I countered. "You haven't even told me what I want to hear."

"N-no I don't know anything. It was just a misunderstanding. That woman is definitely not the one I was thinking about." he stammered.

"You see, that's not what I want to hear."

"Okay, okay!" he cried. "A year ago we got orders from our boss to go find her. He told us to go scare her a bit. We just had to make sure she would stay away from some broad she was hangin' with. A writer, ya see?"

I lowered the weapon a bit. "Go on."

He smiled, nervously, trembling with his tail between his legs. "They were just orders."

"What did you do?"

"We did_ her._" he squealed. "There were six of us. They were just orders. If I could take it back I would, I swear!"

I wanted to put a bullet in his head. It was the first time I had ever honestly wanted to kill someone. I wanted to tear him to pieces, but I knew that wouldn't solve anything. Though I detested the very idea of admitting it, there were other ways to get even with someone, and I didn't want this piece of scum.

Slowly I rose to my feet. Letting out yet another sigh I looked down at the coward beneath my feet. "I'm not going to kill you." I assured him. "I need you alive."

"I'll do anything. Just name it and it's done."

"Send your boss a message." I instructed. "Tell him that Fujino Shizuru is under the protection of Natsuki Kuga."

As I had thought my name was quite familiar to the man. He stared up at me in horror, knowing exactly just what I was capable of. Then, terrified that I might change my mind, he turned to run, bowing his head. "Thank you. You won't regret this."

"Oh boy," I called after him. He turned just in time to see me take aim. I fired and he collapsed, screaming in agony. I pulled the phone from his back pocket, dialing for an EMT. "Make sure your boss knows that I don't play fair." I said. "If I see you or any of your friends again, I'll make sure there won't be anything left of your bodies for the cops to find."

Letting the phone drop I turned to leave. The people on the street, if they heard anything at all, paid no attention to me. They all went about their business as if nothing had happened. Only a single man made eye contact with me. He gave me a tired smile, following closely behind my heels.

"You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you."

"And you haven't changed a bit, Mazuke." I returned, not bothering to look at the man.

"I didn't expect you to agree to your father's offer."

"I didn't. I'm simply using what's available to me."

"Still we were all quite surprised. What's so special about that girl that you're willing to step into our world to protect her? She's just a small girl in a big city. There are plenty of those you can have that would be willing to understand you. She's insignificant."

I watched with fake interest as the ambulance came. There was no risk of that mutt telling anyone who took his manhood away from him, so I wasn't concerned. Instead I decided to answer the man's question. "She's not insignificant." I stated. "To me her existence isn't small."

**AN: So all of my stuff kind of got away from me, but it isn't over yet. Some romance and plenty of action await in the near future. **


End file.
